Various markets throughout the world use various money handling apparatus in, typically unattended, transaction machines, such as vending machines, gaming machines, etc. In addition to, and in some cases to the exclusion of, paper money and coins, many of these machines are or will accept standard financial transaction cards, such as credit cards, bank cards, gifts cards, etc. Throughout the world, there are several safety and security features used on such cards, with some being more widely used in certain geo-political areas than others.
In America, for example, the magnetic stripe is prevalent, with increasing use of contact or contactless technologies. In Europe, these technologies are also available, as is an integrated circuit or smart card. In Australia, an EMV contactless system is popular.
With an increasingly global world, it would be beneficial to have a single user interface that could accept, locate, and analyze multiple of these safety/security features, and, perhaps use such information to enhance the customer experience and/or determine how the transaction is handled or processed.